Elf Child
by Draconic Spirit

    The old trainer sat down and ran his hands over his face. Things weren't going as he had hoped. None of his family stayed at his side and his young charges left early yesterday to begin their new lives. He had nothing left to live for in his old age.
    A soft white light filled the small room and a short, plump, matronly woman came in carrying a stack of folded laundry. She efficiently put the clothes in the chest at the foot of the bed. She turned to the old man with a stern look.
    "Master Roderick, quit wallowing in self pity." Her voice carried a will of iron behind it. "You can always take on more students."
    He looked up at her with weary eyes. "I don't think anyone else will become my student now. My older students will grab up all those possible students. I don't stand a chance of finding new ones. I'm just too old." He wearily ran his hands through his grizzled hair and down his weathered face.
    "Don't give me that line. That's what you said last time and you ended up with five new students within a year." She marched over to the door. "Now come on. Molly has dinner ready." She glared at him, daring him to defy her.
    He sighed. "Very well, Matilda." He pulled himself to his feet and followed Matilda out the door.

    "Master Roderick!" The yelling accompanied the pounding on his office door. "Master Roderick, Molly found something you need to see!" Matilda continued to pound on the locked door. "Master Roderick!"
    Roderick woke to the yelling and pounding. He rose from his couch and grabbed the key on his desk. He unlocked the door and opened it.
    "What is it, Matilda?" He yawned and stretched, his joints popping loudly. He ran his fingers through his thoroughly mussed hair.
    "Molly, found something when she went to weed the garden this morning. You need to come." Her voice had returned to a normal level of volume. She quickly ran back toward the kitchen expecting Roderick to follow.
    He came at a more sedate pace. He entered the kitchen and was immediately assaulted by Matilda and a young woman with rosy cheeks and willowy frame. Both were trying to talk at the same time.
    "Quiet!" he roared over the two women. Both fell silent. "Now, Molly, tell me what you found." He turned to the younger woman.
    She answered in a melodious voice. "I found this bundle laying in the middle of the garden, Master Roderick. It moved around, but made no sound. I showed Mama first and she rushed off to get you. She looked scared."
    "Where is the bundle now, Molly?"
    "Still in the garden, sir." He motioned that she should lead. He and Matilda followed her out the kitchen door to a small vegetable garden in the kitchen yard. Molly hesitated on the edge of the garden before pointing towards the watermelon vine in the back.
    "It's over there, Master Roderick." Her voice trembled nervously.
    Roderick nodded and cautiously approached the indicated spot. He peered through the vines and spotted the cloth wrapped bundle. The cloth jerked like it had been kicked from the inside. Master Roderick cautiously reached for a fold in the cloth. He pulled it back to reveal the face of an infant.
The face of the child was sharp featured with sharply slanted eyebrows over wide green eyes. The eyes blinked rapidly in the morning light. Its head was topped with golden, wavy hair that curled around sharply pointed ears.
    "Master Roderick, what is it?"
    He looked up at Molly and Matilda. "It's an elf child."
    Molly gave a soft gasp. "An elf child? Are you sure, Master Roderick?" Matilda spoke in a reverent voice. Roderick nodded. "Unbelievable! There hasn't been sightings of elves for over fifty years." He gently picked up the infant and carried it into the small manor.
    "Molly, you can go back to your work, now. Matilda, set up a bed for the child." He took the child into his office and placed it on his couch. He noticed as he put the child down a slip of paper. He grabbed the paper and unfolded it. There was a short message written in an elegant hand.
This is Starwind. He is a special child. Please give him a good home. One day you shall be repaid.
    "So your name's Starwind, huh?" Master Roderick mumbled under his breath. He gazed into the child's eyes. He could feel life coming back to his body. "Matilda was right. Every time I feel like giving up I find more to keep me busy."
    There came a soft knocking at the door. Matilda came in. "Master Roderick, the room is ready for the little elf child."
    "Thank you, Matilda." He pick the child up and handed him to her. "His name's Starwind."
    "Oh, what a beautiful name!" She cooed softly at the baby. Starwind responded with a babyish giggle. She exited the room with the giggling infant.
    The next few weeks were quite a learning experience for the three adults. Starwind taught them his likes and dislikes. He woke the sleepy household with his needs in the middle of the night. To say the least, he brought a liveliness to the small manor that had been missing since Roderick's children were little.

    The years flew by and the Starwind grew into a handsome young man. The only people he knew were Molly, Matilda and Roderick. He knew little of the world outside of the manor.
    "Uncle Roderick, can I go with Aunt Molly to market?" The young elf looked pleadingly at the old man.
    "I don't know Starwind."
    "I've never seen the village before. All you and Aunt Matilda and Aunt Molly let me see is the forest and the manor. Can I, please?" He looked into Master Roderick's gray eyes with his sparkling green ones. His long golden hair fell over one eye. He pushed it back behind his pointed ear.
    "I don't see why not, Master Roderick. Let the boy go with my daughter." Matilda gave him one of those looks that he knew not to argue.
    "Very well, you can go with Molly to the market."
    "Thank you, Uncle Roderick." The young elf stood and raced out of the room to find Molly. "Aunt Molly, Uncle Roderick said I could come!"
    "He's growing up so fast." Matilda sat down in the seat that Starwind had just vacated. "It seems like only yesterday that we found him in the garden."
    "I know what you mean, Matilda. I hope he'll be fine in the village." Roderick looked pensive.
    "He'll be fine. Quit worrying so much."

    Starwind and Molly rode silently in the small two horse wagon. He tried to look in every direction at once as they approached the small village some miles distanced from the manor. On the edge of town, Molly took out a small pouch and handed it to Starwind.
    "Starwind, there's some money in there for you. Meet me at the mercantile in three hours. Have fun."
    "Thanks, Aunt Molly." He leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek and then jumped from the wagon. Molly directed the horses towards the livery stable. He took off in the direction of a leather merchant. As he was crossing the main path he heard a voice shouting over the rumble of thundering hooves.
    "Look out!" Starwind turned and saw a pair of horses racing towards him at break neck speed. There was no time to jump out of the way. Starwind threw himself to the side on the ground. The pounding hooves continued to approach. He was still in their path. He closed his eyes expecting the worse.
    Suddenly the horses screamed in terror. Their shrill cries rang in his sensitive ears. He felt something grab him and lift him up into the air. He heard massive wings beating the air and felt the wind whistling pass his ears.
    He opened his eyes to find himself clutched in reddish, long fingered, scaly claws. Starwind saw the ground rushing by in a blur below. The sight unnerved him and he quickly shut his eyes again.
    :I won't drop you:
    The thought intruded on his mind. It seemed calm and reassuring. This seemed to make Starwind panic even more.
    :You earth-bound types are all the same.: There was a hint of amusement in the thought this time. :Always expecting the worst in the air. I've yet to drop a person that I just saved.:
    "Who are you?" Starwind asked aloud.
    :Dragon Firewing, at your service. The thought-voice turned formal. And you are...?:
    "Starwind." He paused to catch the breath that escaped when he opened his eyes. "Where are you taking me?" Starwind was nervous and trembling.
    :Back to the village in a moment.: Firewing looped his long neck to look Starwind in the eyes. It was quite a sight for Starwind. The up-side down giant serpent head with hooked-beak and crossed eyes was quite a comical sight. Starwind started laughing.
   :What do you find so amusing?: Firewing tilted his head to the side.
    "Nothing, just your expression."
    :I'm that comical, huh?: He snorted, buffeting Starwind's face with hot air. :Guess from that view I am.:
    "Why did you save me?"
    :You interest me. You're an elf, yet you act like a human.:
    "I was raised by humans. They found me when I was a baby."
    :Aah, that explains it.: Firewing started circling back towards the village. It's time I took you back to the village: He glided gently to the ground near the edge of town. He landed with mighty strokes of his wings, lowering his hind legs to the ground while clutching Starwind in his fore claws. He lowered his upper body to the ground and released the young elf.
    Starwind turned around to face the dragon. Firewing was standing on his haunches with wings furled and long tail lashing the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.
    "Thank you, Firewing, for saving me."
    :No problem, Starwind. I like you, kid. Call me when ever you need help.:
    "Sure. And thanks again." Firewing leaped into the air and unfurling his wings, flew off. Starwind dashed back to town in the other direction.
    The streets were deserted when he returned to the village. He went straight to the mercantile where he was to meet Molly. The bell jangled eerily in the stillness of the shop. The mercantile appeared to be just as deserted as the streets.
    "Hello, anyone here?" Starwind called. He heard a soft gasp from the back of the room. Molly came running out her hiding spot and wrapped him up in a tight hug.
    "Oh, honey, are you okay? When that dragon showed up and I couldn't find you..."
    "I'm fine, Aunt Molly. The dragon didn't hurt me."
    "Miss Molly, is this the boy you were so worried about?" A stocky older man rose from behind the counter.
    Molly lightened her hold on Starwind to nod at the shop keeper. "This is Starwind, Mister Thomas." The young elf turned to face the man.
    "You sure he's a boy, Molly? He's taller than most of the men of the village."
    "I'm only fifteen, sir."
    "Practically a man."
    "Mister Thomas, could you get my order for the manor?"
    "Right a way, Miss Molly." Mister Thomas bustled about, gathering various bags and baskets of produce. Starwind turned to Molly.
    "Aunt Molly, I didn't get to buy anything yet."
    "Did you see anything you wanted?"
    "I never had a chance to look because of the dragon."
    "Why don't you go look around some more. I'll find you when I'm done here."
    "Thanks, Aunt Molly." Starwind left the shop.
    Once outside, Starwind's eyes were drawn to the small arms shop across the road. Checking to make sure there weren't any rampaging horses running down the road, he crossed the street.
Starwind entered the arms shop. The air was musty and tickled his sensitive nose. Starwind scrunched his nose, holding back a sneeze.
    "I don't serve riffraff in this shop." The harsh, booming voice startled Starwind.
    "'Riffraff'? What do you mean?" He turned a puzzled looked to the shop owner.
    "Those who can't pay needn't bother coming in here."
    "But I can pay." Starwind held out his small pouch of money to the owner.
    "You probably stole that money, boy." He grabbed the elf by his collar and dragged him into the street.
    "I didn't steal anything. My aunt gave me the money." Starwind protested, struggling to free himself from the man's grasp.
    The shop owner threw Starwind onto the ground in the middle of the street. A crowd formed around the boy and the man preventing any escape for the young elf.
    "Tell the truth, boy. Where did you get that money?"
    "I told you. My aunt gave it to me." Starwind was starting to panic. He couldn't understand this man's animosity towards him. Why was he calling him, Starwind, a thief?
    The shop owner pulled back his fist ready to hit the elf. A murmur rose from the back of the crowd as the fist moved closer to Starwind. He braced himself for the blow that he knew was coming.
    "Burl, stop that right now!" The outrage and anger in that voice shocked Starwind and Burl with the fist just inches from Starwind's face. "What do you mean trying to strike my nephew?!" The small woman pushed her way through the crowd, anger snapping viciously in her eyes.
    Starwind scrambled off the ground and rushed to Molly's side, trying to put distance between him and the shop owner.
    "Miss Molly, I had no idea he was your nephew." Burl tried to appear apologetic, but his eyes were still cold.
    "You didn't bother asking, did you, Burl?" Molly placed her hands firmly on her hips, glaring at the burly man. Molly was much like her mother, Matilda, when she was in a righteous rage. If looks could kill, Burl would have been dead in seconds under Molly's death glare. Burl dumbly bobbed his head.
    Holding her head high, Molly marched into the arms shop with Starwind following in her wake. Burl watched them pass, glaring at Starwind as he nervously walked by the burly man.
    "Starwind, choose what you wanted and pay the man. Then we will leave town." The young elf spotted a small, elegant short sword that seemed to call him. He tentatively reached for it, grasping the hilt in his hand. Starwind turned the blade in the light. The runes carved into the blade gleamed brightly.
    "I want this sword, Aunt Molly." Molly came over to see what had caught her young charge's eye.
    "That's a very fine blade, Starwind. Master Roderick will be proud of your taste in weaponry. It will also complement that bow Master Roderick gave you last year." Starwind beamed happily at Molly, while pulling out the money to pay Burl for the weapon.
    Burl took the money and watched as the pair left. His face was a mask of fury. The boy and woman had made a fool of him in front of the entire town. He wasn't going to forget that humiliation.